Motor Control Center Fire in a Switchgear Room

FDS Model

Geometry of the MCC/SWGR

CFAST Model
 SWGR Fire Scenarios

➢ A fire originates within a MCC cabinet 1.

➢ The cabinet is closed and contains more than one bundle of qualified
cable. The fire grows following a “t-squared” curve to a maximum value
of 702 kW in 12 min and remains steady for 8 more minutes. After 20
min, the heat release rate (HRR) decays linearly to zero in 19 min.

➢ The cable trays are filled with cross-linked polyethylene (XPE or XLPE) insulated cables with a neoprene jacket. These are
considered thermoset (TS) materials.These cables have a diameter of approximately 1.5 cm, a jacket thickness of approx. 2mm
Validation range by NUREG-1824 for CFAST model analysis

Quantity Standardized parameter NUREG-1824

validation range
𝑄ሶ
Froude Number 𝑄 ሶ∗ = 0.4-2.4
𝜌∞ 𝑐𝑝 𝑇∞ 𝐷2 𝑔𝐷

𝐻𝑓 + 𝐿𝑓
𝐻𝑐 0.2-1.0
Flame Length Ratio
𝐿𝑓 = 𝐷(3.7𝑄 ∗2Τ5 −ሶ 1.02)

Ceiling Jet Distance ratio N/A 1.2-1.7

Compartment Aspect Ratio L/Hc and W/Hc 0.6-5.7

𝑄ሶ
𝜑= 0.04-0.6
Equivalence Ratio ∆𝐻𝑂2 𝑚𝑂ሶ 2

Radial Distance Ratio r/D 2.2-5.7

Table 1. MCC Switchgear Room Fire Scenario Input Variables

Parameter Description
L Compartment length (m)
W Compartment width (m)
H Ceiling height (m)
FR Ventilation rate (m3/s)
T∞ Ambient temperature (K)
Hf Height of fire above floor (m)
HRR Peak heat release rate (kW)
Fire Properties Values

HRR (kW) 702

Effective fuel formula C3H4.5Cl0.5

Heat of combustion (kJ/kg) 10,300

Products of combustion for MCC switchgear room cabinet and cable fire
CO2 yield (kg/kg) 0.63

CO yield (kg/kg) 0.082

Soot yield (kg/kg) 0.175

Radiative fraction 0.53

Table 2. Switchgear room fire scenario output variables
Parameter Description Target damage threshold
Tg,max Max hot gas layer temperature
Cable Tray A, B and C and
tg,max Time to reach max hot gas layer temperature
Cabinet 2 :
𝑸𝒕,𝒎𝒂𝒙 Max heat flux at target
400 °C or 11 kW/m2
tt Time to exceed damage threshold at target

HRR vs Time
800

700
702 kW

600

500
HRR (kW)

400

300

200

100

0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500

Time
 Comparing the CFAST results with NUREG-1934 results
Cable Temperature
400
800

Cable A Cable B

300
600

Temperature
Temperature

400 200

200 100

0 0
0 600 1200 1800 2400 3000 0 600 1200 1800 2400 3000

Time (s) Time (s)

Conclusion

➢ Cable A and C results are deviated with the NUREG-1934 results in the range of 2.8 – 6.7 % . Cable A likely
to damage.

➢ Cable B results are still not matched with the NUREG-1934 results.
 Research plan for fire scenarios involving multiple objects

➢ Fire in a Residential Living Room Environment

Objects and Furnishings

Ventilation
Ignition Source

➢ Input and OutputVariables

 Fire in a Residential Living Room
Environment
Ventilation:
Parameter Dimensions (m) Materials
Vent Flowrate
Room 6x4x3 Gypsum board (walls)
Natural ventilation 0.004 m3/s
Door 0.9 (width) x 2 (height)
Window 1.5 x 1.0

Objects and Furnishings: Fire scenario involving multiple objects

Parameter Dimensions (m) Materials

Couch
Sofa (Couch) 2 x 1 x 0.8 Polyester, Foam
Table 1.5 x 1 x 0.4 Wooden Oak
Curtains 2m Nylon Table
Window
Bookshelf 1.5 x 0.5 x 2 Pine wood W Door

TV 0.8 x 0.4 x 0.5 Plastic

Bookshelf
Ignition Source: TV

Source HRR
Fire
Faulty electrical outlet located 3000 kW
behind the TV (10 s) L
 Input and OutputVariables
Table 1. Room Fire Scenario Input Variables

Parameter Description
L Room length (m)
W Room width (m)
H Room height (m)
FR Ventilation rate (m3/s)
T∞ Ambient temperature (K)
Hf Height of fire above floor (m)
HRR Peak heat release rate (kW)
Parameter Description
Tg,max Max hot gas layer temperature
tg,max Time to reach max hot gas layer temperature
Table 2. Room fire scenario output variables 𝑸𝒕,𝒎𝒂𝒙 Max heat flux at target
tt Time to exceed damage threshold at target
tfo Time to reach flashover
m Gas and smoke concentration
Bomb calorimetry experiment with Boron particles
 Summary of Calorimetry experiments

Calorimetry experiments
O2 pressure
Wt Width Samples (atm)
Date (mg) (mm) HOC (MJ/kg)
24-07-2023 - - BA 30 26.57
24-07-2023 100 1.17 B/W 30 12.69
24-07-2023 - - BA 30 26.35
27-07-2023 - - BA 30 25.64
27-07-2023 100 1.14 B/W 30 6.73
27-07-2023 - - BA 30 27.48
27-07-2023 - - BA 30 25.26
28-07-2023 - - BA 30 Postperiod
28-07-2023 - - BA 30 Postperiod
28-07-2023 - - BA 30 26.34
28-07-2023 93 1.06 B/W 30 16.29
Shock tube experiment with B-SnO2-TiO2- particles

*Fig. 1
 Summary of the Experiment with B@SnO2(200)@TiO2(01) particles
Vaccum (mbar) Pressure Gas
Sample Sample Photo In P3 Temp IDT
Date Test Name Weight Driven Driver Driven Driver mV µsec K µsec
(mbar) (mbar) (mbar) (Mpa) Driven Driver

21-07-2023 1 B/SnO2/TiO2 6 mg 1.0 0.86 20.1 0.5 Dry Air He 603 2173 2185 234

24-07-2023 1 6 mg 1.0 0.89 20.2 0.5 Dry Air He 588 2154 2185 234
B/SnO2/TiO2

24-07-2023 2 6 mg 1.0 0.88 21.3 0.5 Dry Air He 616 2174 2185 226
B/SnO2/TiO2

26-07-2023 1 6 mg 1.0 0.93 20.4 0.5 Dry Air He 623 2202 2185 252
B/SnO2/TiO2

Summary of the Experiment with 800-B@EG(30)@200-NiCl2 particles

Vaccum (mbar) Pressure Gas
Sample Sample Photo In P3 Temp IDT
Date Test Name Weight Driven Driver Driven Driver mV µsec K µsec
(mbar) (mbar) (mbar) (Mpa) Driven Driver

28-07-2023 1 B/EG/NiCl2 6 mg 1.0 0.89 20.1 0.5 Dry Air He 628 2170 2185 220

28-07-2023 2 B/EG/NiCl2 6 mg 0.98 0.93 20.4 0.5 Dry Air He 715 2173 2185 229
 Ignition Delay time (B@SnO2@TiO2particles)

➢ B@SnO2(50)@TiO2(01) particles show better ignition performance

 Next step :

➢ To conduct the shock tube experiment with B@EG@ NiCl2 particles

➢ Bomb Calorimetry experiments

➢ CFAST and FDS simulation of MCC switchgear compartments and desing geometry of residential living room